Each Kinder-3rd grade class will be visited multiple times a year by the music teacher for a 30 minute lesson. The goal of this program is to provide exposure to melody and rhythm.

Standards based weekly music instruction begins in 4th - 6th grade. The performing arts curriculum enables students to acquire knowledge, develop skills, and expand their creative potential. The CUSD music program offers students the building blocks of music education; rhythm, melody, harmony, form, expression, and musical heritage. Music instruction uses the hands-on implementation of listening, singing, playing, moving, reading, writing, exploring, creating, developing, and performing. Instruction is provided by the Elementary music teachers 45 minutes twice a week. Please contact the school site for more information regarding music schedules.

Choir/General Music consists of a singing/choral experience for all students in the 4th grade. Students also have the opportunity to experience general musical experiences through the use of recorders. These students participate in choir/general music on a rotation by classroom teacher, approximately three months of the school year. When students are not in a choir rotation, they are involved in Physical Education.

Band consists of band instrument instruction to students in 5th and 6th grade. Students sign up to participate in the school band at the beginning of the school year and need to acquire a band instrument.

Beginning Band is offered to 5th grade students for first year band instrument instruction.

Advanced Band is offered to 6th grade students in their second year of instrumental study.

Students in grades 5 and 6, who elect to take music in lieu of Physical Education, are not currently meeting the Educational Code requirement of 200 PE minutes every 10 school days. The Educational Code of California (EC Section 51210[g]) requires that, “Students in grades one through six…must be provided with physical education instruction with an emphasis upon the physical activities for the pupils that may be conducive to health and vigor of body and mind, for a total period of time of not less than 200 minutes each ten schooldays, exclusive of recesses and the lunch period.”

Therefore, we must provide PE instruction to our music students in order to recover their required physical education minutes. All music students must also have an ASES application on file. Beginning August 23, 2016, all 5th-6th grade music students will be required to attend Extended Day PE three days per week. The Extended Day PE program will begin immediately after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Students will receive a nutritious snack during this time. Extended Day PE will end on May 25, 2017.

As a result of the California requirement, we are obligated to verify student’s attendance in the Extended Day PE program. Excessive absences in the Extended Day PE program may result in your child being dropped from their music class and placed back into regular PE during the school day in order to maintain their PE requirement.

The Extended Day PE program will end exactly 30 minutes after the school day ends, allowing time for students to either attend ASES/AIP, or catch their bus on time. For the specific days of the Extended Day PE program, please refer to the attached Extended Day Program Calendar. An Independent Study Waiver is available for Music students who participate in organized physical activities outside of school.

If your child's instrument is stolen you will need to fill out the below form and give it to your child's music teacher. The music teacher can provide you with the instrument type and serial number. This form does require the police report number.